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Hockey

Don Cherry and Ron Maclean are the stars of CBC's Hockey Night in Canada broadcast, but their future is cloudy after Rogers Communications bought national broadcast rights to virtually all NHL hockey in Canada.

Don Cherry and Ron MacLean are coming to Peterborough to host the national Hockey Day in Canada broadcast on CBC-TV on Feb. 9.

CBC-TV revealed the decision late Saturday after the NHL released its schedule for the shortened season resulting from the league's recently resolved lockout.

The broadcast involves telecasts of games by all seven Canadian NHL teams interspersed with community hockey segments.

Lloydminster, Alta. had been chosen months ago as the 2013 Hockey Day in Canada host, but because of the lockout Lloydminster will instead be the host for 2014, with Peterborough as the substitute.

According to Peterborough Hockey Association vice-president David Smith, Cherry and MacLean will host their segments near the base of the Liftlock during the annual Under the Lock outdoor hockey tournament, co-hosted by the PHA and Peterborough Girls Hockey Association, which runs Feb. 9-10.

The two-day affair is the only officially sanctioned Ontario Minor Hockey Association tournament on a body of water. Smith believes there may be no other tournament like it in Canada.

“It's pretty exciting news for hockey in Peterborough,” Smith said. “Our city is going to be showcased on national television.”

While the Trent canal is currently red-flagged for skating, the tournament has always had sufficient ice to proceed each February.

The same day Millbrook is planning to host outdoor hockey games all day on King St. and the Peterborough Petes host the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds that night.